Short Summary

Only 24 of the original 65 cars to enter this year's Safari motor rally survived to start the second leg on Friday (16 April).

Description

Only 24 of the original 65 cars to enter this year's Safari motor rally survived to start the second leg on Friday (16 April).

The rally is one of the world's most difficult and 41 cars failed to complete the first leg because of crashes, mechanical trouble or because they were marooned in mud.

The second leg takes the drivers through the 13,120 foot (4012 metre) Aberdare mountain range, and round the snow-capped Mount Kenya. It includes a series of hairpin bends along dire roads, and officials believe record casualties will be claimed.

Leading in the early stages was the factory-entered Datsun 710 driven by Britons, Shekhar Mehta and Mike Doughty. Second is the Kenyan team of Joginder Singh and David Doig. Singh had already won twice and is keen to be the first to chalk up three victories.

One car which was almost a casualty in the first leg was the Lancia Stratos driven by Italians Sandro Munari and Silvio Maiga. It limped past the official check-point more than three hours behind schedule. Munari was the pre-race favourite, after winning this year's Monte Carlo rally. He also ran into difficulties when his car stalled in deep flood-water int he second stage and had to be towed out.